Rail vehicles may include multiple powered units, such as locomotives, that are mechanically coupled or linked together in a consist. The consist of powered units operates to provide tractive and/or braking efforts to propel and stop movement of the rail vehicle. The powered units in the consist may change the supplied tractive and/or braking efforts based on a data message that is communicated to the powered units. For example, the supplied tractive and/or braking efforts may be based on Positive Train Control (PTC) instructions or control information for an upcoming trip. The control information may be used by a software application to determine the speed of the rail vehicle for various segments of an upcoming trip of the rail vehicle.
A goal in the operation of the locomotives in a train is to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding operational characteristics of the entire train and all systems and subsystems of the train to an operator located on-board or at a remote controller interface. In order to achieve the goal of providing automatic train operation (ATO), a reliable control system must be provided in order to transmit train control commands and other data indicative of operational characteristics associated with the various subsystems of the locomotive consists between the train and an off-board, remote controller interface (also sometimes referred to as the “back office”). The control system must be capable of transmitting data messages having the information used to control the tractive and/or braking efforts of the rail vehicle and the operational characteristics of the various consist subsystems while the rail vehicle is moving. The control system must also be able to transmit information regarding a detected fault on-board a locomotive, and respond with control commands to reset the fault. There is also a need for a train tracking system that determines and presents current, real-time position information for one or more trains in a railroad network, the configuration or arrangement of powered and non-powered units within each of the trains, and operational status of the various systems and subsystems of the trains that are being tracked. A user on-board a train or at a remote controller interface would benefit from being able to see a configurable virtual representation of the real-time location of the train on an electronic map, as well as the exact configuration of the train and operational status of all train assets, systems, and subsystems at any point in time.
One example of a powered system, such as a train, that includes a control system for remotely controlling speed regulation of the powered system to improve efficiency of operation of the powered system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,989,917 of Kumar, that issued on Mar. 24, 2015 (“the '917 patent”). In particular, the '917 patent discloses a system for operating a remotely controlled powered system. The system includes feedforward and feedback elements configured to provide and receive information related to predicted and actual movement of the powered system to remotely control the speed of the system to improve efficiency of operation.
Although useful in allowing for remote control of the speed of operation of one or more locomotives in a train, the system of the '917 patent may be limited. In particular, the '917 patent does not provide a way for an operator located on-board or off-board a train to receive and manipulate information provided as a virtual representation of the real-time position, configuration, and operational status of a train and associated train assets.
The present disclosure is directed at overcoming one or more of the shortcomings set forth above and/or other problems of the prior art.